Head of Innovation

Elior Uk; Greater London; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a dynamic team as a Head of Department Manager at a leading contract catering company, where your culinary innovation and strategic vision will drive growth and excellence. This role involves collaborating with various teams to launch exciting food concepts, managing partnerships, and leading social initiatives that enrich lives. With a commitment to inclusivity and employee well-being, you'll enjoy a supportive environment that values your contributions. If you're passionate about food and eager to make a difference, this opportunity is perfect for you!

Benefits

FREE Lunches

Flexible Working

Holiday Allowance

Travel Allowance

Family Leave

Paid Charity Leave

Opportunities for Career Progression

Comprehensive Wellbeing Benefits

Life Assurance & Pension Schemes

Exclusive Discounts & Perks

Qualifications

• Proven ability to implement groundbreaking ideas and manage diverse stakeholders.
• Passionate about food trends and delivering exceptional dining experiences.

Responsibilities

• Lead culinary and marketing initiatives while managing partnerships and supplier relationships.
• Drive social responsibility and innovation in food concepts across the business.

Skills

Innovative Thinking

Relationship Building

Culinary Expertise

Strategic Vision

Project Management

Social Impact

Job description

Are you a visionary leader with a flair for culinary innovation, partnership building, and delivering excellence? Lexington is seeking a dynamic professional to spearhead creativity and drive growth across our business. Come and join our team as Head of Department Manager!

What you’ll be doing…

Culinary & Marketing

• Concept Implementation: Collaborate with food, marketing, and operations teams to scale and launch Lexington concepts and partnerships.
• Innovation Scouting: Explore emerging food trends and present recommendations to senior leadership.
• Partnerships Management: Cultivate and innovate culinary and brand collaborations, introducing fresh initiatives for approval.

Coffee

• Coffee Culture Programme: Co-develop and deliver Lexington’s coffee strategy in partnership with internal and external stakeholders.
• Brand Alignment: Manage coffee supply partnerships and training academies, ensuring alignment with Lexington’s ethos.
• BariStar Competition: Co-lead the BariStar skills competition, showcasing Lexington’s coffee expertise.

Social Responsibility

• Supplier Partnerships: Lead relationships with social enterprise suppliers and integrate socially responsible products across all contracts.
• New Opportunities: Identify and present social initiatives to leadership for ratification.
• Pioneering Ideas: Collaborate with central Elior teams to introduce cutting-edge concepts to Lexington.
• Feasibility Reviews: Evaluate external innovations and drive implementation strategies.

Business Excellence

• Experience Standards: Partner with teams to refine food and client experience benchmarks.
• LexDNA: Champion Lexington’s contract measurement tool, driving continuous improvement.
• Competitive Edge: Support tender processes with site excellence and standout proposal development.

Design & Planning

• Project Delivery: Plan and execute partnerships and innovations tailored to site needs.
• Site Enhancements: Collaborate on refurbishments, rebrands, and design projects, including layouts, concept boards, and 3D visuals.

What can you bring?...

• Innovative Thinking: Proven ability to identify and implement groundbreaking ideas.
• Relationship Builder: Skilled at fostering partnerships and managing diverse stakeholders.
• Culinary Expertise: Passionate about food trends and delivering exceptional dining experiences.
• Strategic Vision: Strong understanding of growth drivers and operational alignment.
• Project Management: Hands-on experience in design, mobilisation, and brand refreshes.
• Social Impact: Committed to embedding responsibility and purpose in all initiatives.

Our way of saying thank you

At Elior, we strive to ensure that our colleagues feel appreciated & rewarded, which is why we offer generous rewards & benefits in exchange for your dedicated efforts.

• FREE Lunches:Have your lunch on us when working from the office
• Flexible Working:Enjoy the freedom to balance work and personal life with our flexible working hours
• Holiday Allowance:Rest and relax with 33 days holiday
• Travel Allowance: Across zones 1 and 2
• Family Leave:Prioritise your family commitments with our family leave options designed to support you during important times
• Paid Charity Leave:Make a difference in your community with paid time off to volunteer for your favourite causes
• Opportunities for Career Progression:Grow and advance your career with us, supported by continuous learning and development opportunities
• Comprehensive Wellbeing Benefits:Access mental health support and a range of wellbeing benefits to keep you feeling your best, both professionally and personally
• Life Assurance & Pension Schemes:Secure your future with our life assurance and workplace pension schemes
• Exclusive Discounts & Perks:Enjoy discounts and cashback on entertainment, leisure activities, and much more, alongside our popular cycle-to-work scheme

Why it's great to work for us...

Elior is a multi-award-winning people business and one of the UK’s leading contract caterers, with over 10,000 colleagues operating across a diverse range of sectors including:

• Workplaces & Office Space
• Sporting Venues & Stadium
• Attraction & Heritage Sites
• Public Sector & Defence
• Health, Care & Hospitals
• Schools, Colleges & Universities

Along with our purpose of enriching lives everywhere, every day, we’re committed to an inclusive culture and want our people to feel appreciated, supported, and fulfilled.

That's why 87% of colleagues tell us how proud they are to work for us!

At Elior, we’re committed to creating a culture of respect, inclusion, and belonging for all.

Ultimately, we believe it’s our differences that make us stronger and enrich our work environment, which in turn makes Elior a great place to work!

By celebrating equality and diversity we’ve created a culture where everyone feels valued and empowered to do their best work, where colleagues fulfil their potential and have the opportunity to succeed.

If you need any support or adjustments during the application process, just let us know. We're happy to help.